Home jaundice treatment available due to funding

Healthcare professionals will visit homes equipped with portable phototherapy devices

Newborn babies cared for by an NHS trust can receive treatment for jaundice in their own homes thanks to new funding.

Traditionally, families have had to take their babies to hospital for treatment.

But after funding from Royal Surrey Charity, a trained healthcare professional from the Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust will visit homes equipped with portable phototherapy devices.

Jo Macleod, consultant neonatal nurse at Royal Surrey, said: “We know the toing and froing to hospital disrupts the bonding period for families and can create stress.”

Jaundice is a common condition in newborn babies caused by elevated levels of bilirubin, a yellow pigment found naturally in the blood.

While normal for babies to have the condition to some degree, in a very small number of cases it can develop into permanent brain damage and must be treated.

The standard treatment is exposure to light waves, known as phototherapy.

The new at-home phototherapy project is backed by £30,000 of funding from Royal Surrey Charity that was secured through the trust’s Bid for Better 2023 initiative.

Ms Macleod added: "Treating jaundice in the home is simple with the right equipment and not only enhances convenience for families but also promotes bonding and reduces the stress associated with hospital visits.”

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